Delhi eases norms for opening private schools on privately owned commercial land
New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) The Delhi government has amended its school education rules to exempt certain private schools proposed to be established on privately owned commercial land from a provision requiring the Administrator to determine whether opening the school would be in the public interest.
The Delhi School Education (Amendment) Rules, 2026, with the prior approval of the Central Government, came into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. Under the revised provision, the Administrator may consider details submitted for a proposed new school, conduct inquiries considered necessary and inform the applicants whether opening the proposed school would be in the public interest.
However, this provision will not apply to a private school proposed to be established by a society or public trust on privately owned commercial land, other than institutional land obtained from the government or a municipal corporation at a concessional rate or through auction. The exemption will be subject to existing rules and regulations.
For societies or public trusts seeking to purchase or otherwise obtain institutional land from the government or a municipal corporation at a concessional rate or through auction to establish a new private school, an Essentiality Certificate from the Administrator will continue to be mandatory before such purchase or allotment. The certificate will relate to the need for the proposed school in the locality concerned. The Administrator may issue it after considering the prescribed details and conducting any necessary inquiries.
The notification also omits clause (ii) of Rule 50 of the Delhi School Education Rules, 1973. The notification itself does not reproduce the text of the deleted clause. The draft amendment was published on August 10, giving people likely to be affected 30 days to submit objections and suggestions. The government said that no objections or suggestions were received within the stipulated period.
The Central Government gave its prior approval on September 17 through the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with an office memorandum of the Ministry of Education's Department of School Education and Literacy. The notification was issued by order and in the name of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and signed by Principal Secretary (Education) Dr Dilraj Kaur.
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